Xathax c



(No Model.)

N.. C. JESSUP.

BOAT.

N0. 291,909. Patented Jan. 15, 1884,

. :11:11 t: l Iuln N, PETERS, Phonrunmwphnn waxhingwn. D, C.

Unirse rains Artnr @ricca NATHAN (l. JESSUI), OF SO'Ull-LUIPITO, NEW' YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,909, dated January 15, 1884.

A ppliention lled February E), ISSB. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN C. .'I'nssur, of Southampton, Suffolk county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the lfollowing is a specification.

My invention applies more especially to small boatsesuch as life-boats, surf-boats, and similar small craft where great strength and lightness is desired, with power to resist the shoelcof waves or of collisions against a ships side, and with a quality of self-righting when capsized.

To this end a main feature of my invention consists in constructing the hull with an inner continuous watertight shell or hull of paper, Wood, or similar material, and an outer continuons and watertight shell or hull of thin sheet metalp referabl y steel-- closely overlying and completely inelosing upon each side theinner hull and secured to the same, forming one compound hull.

Another feature of my invention consists in ribs formed by a corrugated strip of sheet metal and my invention also embodies a central longitudinal tube or chamber in the bottom of the boat, with means for admitting and discharging water to form a water-ballast along the keel, and in iloats iixed on one side ol' the boat at the gunwale, whereby the boat is ren dered self-righting when upset.

My invention also embodies some details connected with these main features, ashereinafter set forth.

I am aware that the hulls of boats, particularly small boats, have been made of paper alone, and also that hulls of small and large vessels have been made of sheet metal alone, and that it has been common to plate the hulls of wooden ships with thin sheet metal on the exterior, to prevent marine incrustations, also with thick armor-plates to resist shot. I am not aware, however, that hulls have ever been made of two complete water-tight shells of metal and an intervening one of paper or its equivalent, the three secured together as in my invention, which embodies a construction and fullls a purpose to which neither of the former instances can respond. I would also remark that in a former patent issued to me October 25, 1881, No. 248,755, I show a lifevbe readily appreciated.

boat having an inner shell of wood or papel` and an outer water-tight shell of thin steel,ris ing only to the deck-line on the inner hull, and not to the gunwale, so as to completely inclose the inner hull, so that my present invention is an improvement on my former patent, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l presents a longitudinal section of my improved boat; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 a crosssection. Figs. 4t and 5 illustrate details of ribbing.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3, a indicates the keel, and b c the stem and stern posts, which are constructed in the ordinary manner, prefer ably of wood.

d d indica-te a complete shell or hull of pa; per, thin wood, or similar light stiff non-,netallic material, paper being much preferred. o indicates a complete shell or hull of thin sheet metal, preferably galvanized sheet-steel, which overlies the paper shell d d on the interior of the boat, and j" indicates a similar sheet-steel shell,which overlies the paper shell on the exterior of the boat. Each ofthe steel shells extends completely over the paper shell up to the gunwale, as shown, so that the paper shell is thus inclosed or embraced between them, the three shells being secured tightly to each other in closelyoverlying layers, vas shown, by being riveted or otherwise fastened together' at numerous points. .lhe edges of the three shells at the gunwa'le are covered and protected by a gunwale-strip, g, of sheet metal, rolled or bent in the shape of an inverted U, which, being riveted over the edges of the three shells, forms a strong finished gunwale on the boat, and securely fastens the three shells together at their margins, as will Each of the three shells is complete throughout the hull, and is made water-tight, thus rendering the construetion very strong and tight. lhe inner paper shell, d, is preferably made in two layers, as shown best in Fig. Il, one layer or sheet extending over the keel andthe other under the keel, as illustrated, the two being cemented closely together with waterproof cement, and

also nailed or riveted at numerous points. llhe sheets forming the paper shell do not lap at the edges, but are laid with their edges closely ling, so as to avoid all protuberances, as ated in Fig. 3. The sheets are preferof such a length in the eross-section of oat as to extend continu ous 'from the gunto the center of the keel, where their s meet in a buttjonit7 as indicated at Fig. 3. The sheets of steel forming the and outer steel shells, 0 7", are shown of ily-exaggerated thickness in the drawand these are so laid as to overlap at iints, as shown, each joint being.,r both solland riveted, so as to be perfectly strong water-tight. The boat may be strengthorstitfened on theinterior by ribs 'i Il", which )rcferably formed by rolling a strip of niized sheet-steel with an inverted-U- ed section, and then soldering` and rivethis strip on the inner steel shell, as shown gs. 1 and 2, thus forming very light and ribs, which impart great strength and ess .to the boat without adding much ht thereto. rlhese ribs will oi' course be led at numerous points along the boat at intervals as may be considered best, inl ot' being limited to the two points repited in the drawings. stead of forming the rib in a stri p ol' steel rate from the sheets oll the inner hull, a sheets may beso rolled or c rrugated, as 'n iu Figs. l and 5, so as to provide the within themselves, as will be understood; l prefer the former construction. ;r an ordinary ships life-boat, or for surf- 5, the thickness ol the inner paper shell not be greater than the quarter ot' an while the two overlying steel shells need oe thicker than ordinary bristol-board, rendering the boat very li `ght and still exingly strong and stiil. l-y having the sheets thoroughly galvanized they will be iently protected from rusting, and may be ered readily at the joints, thus rendering shell a complete hull in itsell and pery water tight. The paper shell, being ily embraced between the two water-tight shells, will be thus ellciently protected Lcontact with water, and, if desired, the ar may be so prepared as to be i1npervito water; but this in most cases will not ecessary, for even if one ot' the steel shells dd become punctnred, so as to allow wa- ;o come in contact with the inner paper l, this would have very little effect in softig or injuring the paper shell, for the reathat as the paper is closely embraced be an the two steel shells, and as these shells secured tightly together, the effect of the ing of the paper would be to swell the e in the immediate vicinity of the leak, thus causethe paper shell to expand foreibetween the two shells at the location of leak, and thereby close up the crevice stop any further leakage in a most effective nier. Hence, by means of the shell of paor other iibrous swellable or somewhat ab. ent material brlwrwn the two metal shells,

a most effective means is provided for autoinatically stopping any slight leaks or punctures in the inner or outer skin ofthe hull,which in other constructions would allow a constant leakageinto the boat. It will therefore be seen that a boat constructed as described will be very stron g and light and comparatively cheap and very durable, and its sides will at the same time possess such an elastic or springy quality, combined with strength and toughness, as to enable it to yield slightly to shocks or collisions, and thus resist the same more eii'ectually. The sides of the boat will also be much more difficult to puncture than would be a boat made oi' sheet metal alone, or of paper or wood alone, and for the reasons before indicated a puncture, when it does occur, will not be followed with as bad consequencesas would be the case with the others, because it would immediately afterward close up partly or entirely by the swelling of the inner shell between the two outer ones. The advantage of this construction, therefore, particularly for all small craft-sueh` as life-boats and surf-v boats-is obvious.

In the drawings I. have shown no rowlocks, seats, deck, or other ordinary adjunct-s to the hull, as my invention does not relate to suoli parts. .lhc rowlocks and seats may be ap plied and lixed in any suitable w ay, as will be understood. ln cases of life and surf boats, a deel; may be extended across about the middle of the hull, so as to completely inclose the under space between the deck and the keel, forming a water-tight air-ch amber, asis usual in such boats, to give permanent buoyancy and render the boat unsinkable. This deck may be made in the saine manner as the hull viz., ol'an inner shell ol' paper embraced between two steel shellsand it may be otherwise constructed as shown and claimed in my former patent above referred to, and provided wii'h the peeul iar form of scuppers'there shown. l

In surf or lil'e boats I prel'er to ailix a large ballast tube or chamber, k, centrally along the bottom ofthe boat directly over the keel,whieh is preferably made of galvanized sheet metal, with water-tightjoints, and is closed at each end. An open pipe, l, extends through the of the ballast-tube k, and its opening therein being controlled by a valve, m, which constantly tends to shut down upon and close said opening by the action of a spring, as shown, so that by raising` said valve for a certain interval water may be admitted from the sea to thus form a good ballast along the keel, to render the boat firm and steady when afloat, and

otherwise exist. This ballastpipe k will also serve to stiilcn the boat in the mannerof a keelson, as it acts, in fact, as an auxiliary lreelson. Il' desired, the keel. itself may be made hollow, in the y'orm o' a slleetanetal tube reduce any tendency to capsizing which might IOO bottoni ofthe boat and opens into the bottom charge said tube to any desired extent, and I of proper sectional form, and be adapted to act directly as the water-ballast tube, as will be understood. A hollow pillar or tube, p, rises from the top of the ballast-tube 7s directly over the valve of the iioodinginlet Z, and extends above the water and deck lin'e of the boat, and a chain, a, extends from the valve up through this pillar and connects to a handle, o, by manipulating which the valve may be pulled open as long as desired, and then allowed to close, as will be understood. rIhe handle o also serves as a plug to stop the top of the pillarp when released, and the chain a should be suficiently slack to allow the plug o to be removed and hung over the edge of the pillar without opening the valve m, so that a small pump may be inserted through the pillar and passed down into the ballast-tube, whereby the contents thereof may be bailed or pumped out when so desired. I prefer to provide the ballast-tube 7c with perforated transverse partitions t" at intervals along its length, which will allow the water to flow to au'niform level along the tube, but prevent its rapid surging back or forth by any pitching` motion of the boat in a rough sea.

. Another feature of my invention particularly desirable for life-boats consists in providing the boat with floats or air-chambers or, located at or near the top edge or gunwale, and on one side of the boat only, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These floats are preferably made of galvanized sheet-metal tubes of halfround or triangular section filled with air and tightly sealed, and they are preferably fastened in sections along the gunwale, as shown, in a detachable manner, so that they may be removed or attached in any desired numbers and at any time, according to circumstances. I prefer to fasten the floats in position by ordinary straps and buckles, as shown, which is a simple detachable form of fastening, as will be appreciated. Vhen the floats are thus affixed on one side of the boat, a slight weight should be added to the other side of the boat, so as to balance the same and make the boat float even on her keel; and it will now be readily understood that in case the boat should be capsized, the side with the iioats will be much the more buoyant, and will resist being submerged, and will at once iioat up high and submerge the opposite side, thus causing the center of gravity to be thrown over very much to one side, which, with the weighted or ballasted keeltube k, will immediately act to right the boat and throw hcrovcr on an even keel, thus giving the boat an automatic self-righting tendency, which is very important. I am aware, of course, that floats have been used on each side of a boat; but these are used for simple buoyancy, and will not give a self-righting tendency, which a buoyancy on one side only will give, as described.

Some of the advantages of my invention will accrue if the inner metal sheet, c, be omitted.

I reserve the right to cover in a separate application any novel feature herein shown or described but not claimed.

That I claim isl. A boat having its hull constructed with an inner and an outer shell of sheet metal and an intermediate shell of non-metallic fibrous and swellable material, the said metallic sheets being made with water-tight joints closely embracing the intermediate shell and extending over the same up to the gunwale, and secured together at numerous points, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. A boat having its hull constructed with an inner and an outer shell of sheet metal and an intermediate shell of paper, said shells closely overlying each other, and secured together at numerous points, substantially as set forth.

3. In a boats hull, the combination of the outer metallic shell and an intermediate shell of paper with an inverted- U -shaped gunwalestrip, g, of sheet metal, secured to and covering the edges of the metallic shells, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

et. In a boat substantially as described, and in combination with the central ballast-tube, la, having perforated partitions k', the well 01 tube p, and the spring-valve m, the cap o, fitting the said well asa plug, and the chain a, securing the caps and valve together, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with a boats hull, the inner ribs, i, formed of sheet metal, with a iianged U section, and secured in inverted position on the inside of the hull, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination, in a boat with a weighted Y keel, of air chambers or` floats r fr, affixed on but one side of the interior of the boat, at or near the gunwale, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

NATHAN (I. JESSUP.-

Witnesses Isaac C. Harsnv, ELIZABETH A. HALsrJY. 

